: AmeriSwede - Viewing Profile

Video seems to work fine in Sweden...

Potteryrocks! may be right... The background music 'Stairway to Heaven' by Stanley Jordan (Blue Note Records) may be the block.

On the video... I think it is a good demonstration finishing with a nice functional form.

I would tend to agree with you yedrow, as I also would prefer a sense of harmony within the forms in the kitchen.

Yes, Congratulations, spring!

I can't answer any of your questions, but would like to add that your 'Lily Pad Double Walled Teapot' (Etsy site) is absolutely beautiful... and I don't think the price on it is unrealistic at all!

Best wishes for continued success!

I also like to see those unique fish mugs (like my avatar- pictured in my gallery) and tend to just make them for special friends as gifts, because of the labor intensity.

I think it's a wonderful idea to actually invite them over for a 'fish mug' fest of creativity!

Great idea, Marc!

JBaymore, on 18 July 2012 - 07:30 PM, said:

So many smilie faces must be a reference to the enjoyment of all the 'morning wood' to stoke the fires...

clay lover, on 16 July 2012 - 01:13 AM, said:

I also had the tingling and numbness in my hands (10 years ago) that often bothered me while sleeping as well. Mostly after a good day of work, with clay or hammering (construction). Though the health system is different here in Sweden the human body and its maladies remain the same. When I inquired of the Doctor what my options were he laughed and said they try not to use the 'knife' here when it isn't necessary. He sent me to a physical therapist, who also happened to be a ceramist. She gave me a cloth/velcro wrist splint (similar to what a professional bowler might wear while bowling). She told me to especially wear it at night and try to wear it while working, if possible, for a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, I was to do five specific and different hand/wrist/whole arm stretching exercises (minimum 15-20 minutes - three times daily but it would be better if I could do them every couple of hours). Also take rest periods more frequently when doing repetitive work utilizing the same hand-arm movements (a good time to do the stretching exercises).

The results of my adherence to this regiment after two-three weeks was... no more tingling and numbness and with the continued practice (albeit now and then but only a couple times every day or two for a half hour) I've not had any reoccurance of the tingling and numbness in these past 10 years while I continue to do the same amount of wedging clay and hammering, if not more.

My advice would be to save your $ from a surgery fix unless it is ABSOLUTELY necessary.... see a physical therapist about doing some positive hand/wrist/arm exercises that will help. If this works out in your favor, as in my case, the money saved from surgery and being out of commission for weeks while recuperating, should more than adequately pay for your new pug mill, a gift to yourself... The average lifetime cost of carpal tunnel syndrome, including medical bills and lost time from work, is estimated to be about $30,000 for each injured worker.


An added note regarding the two different medical systems.... since our system in Sweden is part our national health care, the government foots the majority of the bill (from taxes) so it obviously is going to look for the cheapest (for government efficiency) means of remedy. My thinking is that if the medical industry here (as the doctor stated) doesn't believe the fix should be with the scalpel but can be alleviated with a change of 'lifestyle' and exercise (more holistically sensible) then why choose the more expensive surgery elective (which doesn't always remedy the ailment) without attempting the alternative first?

Either way... clay lover ... as I and I'm sure others on this site have been faced with the CTS problem, I wish you the best on a quick recovery!